242616FB_BMP.pdf

Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries

This publication was funded in part by FDEP with a Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program Grant from the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency.

We are proud to note this manual is printed on Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®)-certified paper, is printed with soy-based inks and is produced in Florida.

Acknowledgments The authors of this document owe a debt of gratitude to the Professional Landscape Network (PLANET), in allowing us to use its document on Best Management Practices for Turfgrass as a guide, and to Tom Delany, the association’s representative on the committee.

The PLANET document was based on a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency grant.

Particular gratitude is due to Erica Santella, Regional Technical Director for TruGreen and past president of the Florida Turfgrass Association, who served as committee chair for the original development of this manual. Special thanks are also due to our editor, Mike Thomas, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), who has taken the group through the process and guided us down the right path.

We would like to thank Bryan Cooksey of McCall’s Pest Control and former president of the Florida Pest Management Association; Geri Cashion of FMC Corp; Mark Roberts of Toro; Joel Jackson of the Florida Golf Course Superintendents Association; Joe Welch of Middleton Lawn and Pest Control; Sidney Hinson, Gary Cook, and Scott Sincerbeau of Lesco; Norm Smith, Mel Edelstein (deceased), and Ed Minor of the Certified Pest Control Operators Association; Jennifer Leggett of Lindsey Pest Control; Toni Caithness of the Florida Pest Management Association; John Thatcher of TruGreen; Nick Dennis of Prolawn; Jeff Michel of Massey Services, Inc.; Gene Yearty (deceased); Marylyn Bales of Douglass Fertilizer; Ben Bolusky and Tom Tumbleson of the Florida Nursery, Growers and Landscapers Association; and Barry Troutman of Valleycrest Landscape.

Staff of the following agencies provided invaluable support for this project: Mike Scheinkman and Emily Brown, FDEP; Mark Jennings and Steve Dwinell, Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS); Richard Deadman, Florida Department of Community Affairs; Katherine Pordeli, St. Johns River Water Management District; Peg McPherson, South Florida Water Management District; and Ron Cohen and Jay Yingling, Southwest Florida Water Management District. Cover photo is provided courtesy of the South Florida Water Management District. Final editing was done by Linda Lord, FDEP.

Finally, our thanks to Esen Momol, Tom Wichman and the FFL Team, Laurie Trenholm, Bryan Unruh, Gary Knox, Christine Kelly-Begazo, John Cisar, George Snyder, Jerry Sartain, Terril Nell, Michael Dukes, Rao Mylavarapu, Robert Black, Pam Mattis, Ed Gilman, and a host of other research and extension faculty, staff, and county agents with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), and the innumerable other citizens who contributed comments.

This publication was funded in part by FDEP with a Section 319 Nonpoint Source Management Program Grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Disclaimer The mention of a specific product or company is for information purposes only and does not constitute an endorsement of that product or company.

Table of Contents Goals of the Manual 1

Chapter 1: Introduction 4 Using Best Management Practices to Reduce Pollution and Conserve Water 4 Environmental Issues 5 Importance of Maintaining Healthy Landscapes and Turf 6 Cultural Practices for Healthy Landscapes 6 Employee Training 8

Chapter 2: Best Management Practices for Design and Installation of Landscapes 12 Site Evaluation and Landscape Design 13 Florida-Friendly Landscape Design Standards 13 Plant Selection 14 Selecting a Turfgrass for a Florida Lawn 14 Selecting Trees, Shrubs, and Ground Covers 15 Preparing to Plant a Lawn 15 Landscape Plant Installation 15 Care During Plant Establishment 16 Environmental Stresses on Lawns 16 Shade Considerations for Turf 16

Chapter 3: Mulching, Mowing, and Pruning 20 Landscape Mulches 21 Benefits of Mulching 21 Mulching BMPs 21 Mowing the Florida Lawn 22 Mowing BMPs 23 Pruning of Landscape Plants 23 Mangroves 24 Disposing of Landscape Material 25

Chapter 4: Irrigation Best Management Practices 28 Permitting and Regulations 29 Reclaimed Water Use 30 Irrigation System Design 30 Microirrigation for Landscape Plants 31 Irrigation System Installation 33 Irrigation Management 33 Irrigation System Maintenance 35 Irrigation System Errors 36 Sources for Irrigation Standards 37 Green Industry Irrigation BMPs 37

Chapter 5: Fertilization 40 Fertilizer Terms 41 Fertilizer Analysis 41 Fertilizer Applicator Licensing 41 Urban Turf Fertilizer Rule 41 Turf Fertilization Management 42

Nitrogen Management 42 Quick Release Sources 42 Slow Release Sources 43 Nitrogen Rate and Frequency 45 Timing and Season 46 Location in the State 46 Soil Types and Turfgrass Species 46 Phosphorus Fertilization 47 Potassium Fertilization 47 Secondary Nutrient Fertilization 47 Micronutrients 48 Fertilizing Grass for Establishment or Recovery 48 Untreated Buffers Near Bodies of Water 49 Impervious Surfaces 49 Fertigation 49 Fertilizing Landscape Plants 50 Why Fertilize? 50 Recommendations and Basic Principles for Fertilizing Landscape Plants 50 When To Fertilize 50 How Much To Fertilize 51 Fertilizing Palms 51 Where and How To Fertilize 51 Fertilizer Storage and Loading 51 Storage 52 Loading 52 Soil Testing 52 Soil Sampling Methodology 53 Soil Test Interpretation 53 Tissue Testing 53 Tissue Sampling Methodology 54 Sample Contamination 54 Interpretation of Results 54 Summary 55 BMPs for Turfgrass and Landscape Fertilization 56

Chapter 6: Pest Control 58 Legal Issues 59 Definitions 59 Licensing Requirements for Pesticide Use in Lawn and Landscape Maintenance 59 Pesticide Record Keeping 59 Restricted Use Pesticides 60 Integrated Pest Management 60 General Pesticide BMPs 61 Pesticide Use 62 Pesticide Selection 62 Pesticide Selection BMPs 62 Pesticide Storage 63 BMPs for Pesticide Storage and Disposal 64 Mixing and Loading Activities 65 Pesticide Equipment Calibration and Loading 65

Pesticide Application Equipment Wash Water 66 Pesticide Spill Management 66 BMPs for Loading and Calibrating Pesticide Equipment 66 Spill Reporting Requirements 67 Weed Management 67 Insects and Other Organisms 68 Plant Nematodes 68 Plant Diseases 69 Diagnostic Assistance 69

References: 71 Design & Installation References 71 Preparation 71 Environmental Stresses 71 Irrigation References 72 Standards 72 Guidance 72 Mulching, Mowing, and Pruning References 73 Fertilization References 73 Pesticide References 73

Appendix A: Important Telephone Numbers 75 Report the Following Information 75 Emergency Reporting Telephone Numbers 75 Help Line Telephone Numbers 75 Non-emergency Telephone Numbers 75

Appendix B: Florida Cooperative Extension Service Telephone Numbers 77

Appendix C: Rule 5e-1.003(2) Labeling Requirements for Urban Turf Fertilizers 78

Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM Certified Professional 83

Benefits of FFLCP Certification 83

Online CEU Courses 83

List of Tables Table 1. Comparison of lawngrasses available for use in Florida 14

Table 2. Suggested mowing heights and mower types for Florida home lawns 22

Table 3. Irrigation spacing 31

Table 4. Irrigation Association Distribution Uniformities 35

Table 5. Fertilization guidelines for established turfgrass lawns in three regions of Florida 45

Table 6. Landscape plant nitrogen fertilization rates 51

Table 7. Soil Test Interpretation for Mehlich-3 Extraction for Agronomic and Horticultural Crops 54

Table 8. Sufficiency ranges of tissue N concentration for selected lawn turfgrasses 54

Table 9. Sufficiency concentration ranges for selected macro and micronutrients in turfgrass tissue 54

Table 10: Reportable Quantities for Certain Pesticides 67

Goals of this Manual.

This manual provides information and guidance on turfgrass and landscape management practices to minimize Nonpoint Source Pollution in order to conserve and protect Florida’s water resources. These practices cover both the establishment of new turf and landscapes and the care of existing turf and landscapes, including construction activities, irrigation, nutrient management, and pest management.

This manual is designed to be an educational guide for professional service providers and other interested parties. It does not substitute for the services of a landscape architect, engineer, or other design professional. Design issues are discussed as they apply to the service industry and their clients.

This document is intended to enhance the professional knowledge and judgment of turfgrass and landscape workers.

Plants are living systems, and these practices should not be rigidly applied in all cases. Workers should use the guidance provided, but measures that are more restrictive may be required in specific situations to protect sites that are at particularly high risk for adverse effects on surface water and ground water. State laws and local ordinances always take precedence.

More information on Stormwater Management, Low Impact Development, and Florida Friendly Landscape Maintenance Practices is available from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the University of Florida Cooperative Extension Service, water management districts, universities and community colleges, and professional associations.

What, exactly, is meant by the phrase by the Green Industries?

Simply put, only you, the people working every day, mowing, pruning, planting, weeding, fertilizing, watering, taking care of pest problems, and teaching your customers how to properly care for their lawn, can make a difference in the effects our landscapes have on our natural resources. Governments can regulate and educators can teach, but only the individual working in the yard can actually make a difference.

In the summer of 2000, a group of industry associations met with government and university representatives to discuss developing standards of environmental responsibility for their industry. In the summer of 2002, the first edition of this book was published. A Spanish edition soon followed. Many thousands of you have embraced these practices, and more will follow your lead. In 2009, the Florida legislature recognized the BMPs and made training mandatory for commercial fertilizer applicators. Whether you are affected by the new law or not, please use the practices discussed in this book, and remember…

How you do your job every day makes a difference.

A Florida-Friendly Landscape is not only beautiful, it is also environmentally friendly. It stabilizes soil, prevents erosion, filters pollutants, and reduces harmful runoff—all of which contribute to preserving Florida’s unique nat ural resources.

From the fertilizers you apply to the water you use, your gardening choices can have an impact on land, water, and wildlife. What you do in your landscape matters.

Best Management Practices For Protection Of Water Resources By The Green Industries

Chapter 1:

Introduction

Using Best Management Practices to Reduce Pollution and Conserve Water

5 Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM

The protection of water resources is enhanced through turf and landscape care practices that make the best use of technology and the practical experience of professionals. These practices address specific concerns, including the protection of water re-sources where pesticides and nutrients enter ground water and surface water as a result of nonpoint source pollution.

University studies throughout the country, including Florida, have shown that properly managed turfgrass and landscapes do not significantly contribute to nonpoint source pollution.

Pollution occurs when less-than-adequate management techniques are used. Developing low-risk irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticide programs, and ensuring that these programs are properly administered and periodically reviewed, reduces the possibility of nutrient movement off-site. Whenever possible, professionals should educate their clients on landscape best management practices (BMPs) that encourage water conservation and pollution prevention.

The goals of the FDEP Green Industry BMPs are to reduce nonpoint source pollution and promote the efficient use of water, as follows:

• Reduce the off-site transport of sediment, nutrients, and pesticides through surface water or ground water.

• Use appropriate site design and plant selection.

• Use appropriate rates and methods of applying fertilizer and irrigation.

• Use integrated pest management (IPM) to minimize pests and apply chemicals only when appropriate.

BMPs should integrate selection, irrigation, fertilization, and pest management in a manner that minimizes environmental impacts, yet meets clients’ and customers’ expectations.

Irrigation practices influence how often we need to fertilize and this can affect the occurrence of pest problems. Weigh these and other factors when making landscape management decisions.

The first edition of this manual was published in the summer of 2002. By the end of 2009, more than 100,000 manuals had been distributed, in both English and Spanish versions. More than 50,000 glove box sized summary booklets have also been distributed. Since 2006, more than 50,000 people have obtained formal certification through DEP or UF/IFAS sponsored training, and many of these people have taught others about the BMPs, but they did not obtain formal certification through the University.

Since the original publication of this BMP manual, several new laws have been passed, new research completed, and new products developed. Therefore, this 2020 printing contains new information in many areas, especially concerning irrigation systems and fertilizer use, along with many other suggestions received from dozens of landscapers and other professionals seeking to improve this book. This revision would not be as thorough without their ideas and contributions.

This manual provides specific examples of how BMPs might work in typical situations. These examples are not meant to minimize concerns associated with other turfgrass or pest problems. Although certain rules are mentioned, this publication is an educational, not a regulatory, document.

Always check with state and local authorities, because local ordinances may be more restrictive than federal or state regulations.

Environmental Issues Many areas of the state are running low on freshwater supplies.

Water conservation is one of the most crucial issues facing Florida in the future, and applying the BMPs described in this manual will help to conserve our precious fresh water.

Since the passage of the Clean Water Act and the formation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, tremendous strides have been made in cleaning up our air and water. Most of this cleanup has been accomplished through permitting and the regulation of point sources of pollution such as factory smokestacks and sewage discharges.

In contrast, nonpoint source pollution comes from diffuse sources and is associated with the long-term effects of everyday activities. It is carried primarily by rainfall and irrigation water, which cause pollutants that have accumulated on the land surface to run off into surface waters or to leach into ground

Figure 1. With proper BMPs, our water resources can successfully coexist with residential landscapes.

6Florida-Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries water. Water is the primary mechanism for the transport of dissolved chemicals through the soil. Nonpoint source pollution may not be obvious until a rainfall event occurs, leading to stormwater runoff from roads, parking lots, suburban areas, and farms. As Florida’s population has soared, this type of pollution has become an increasingly important issue in the state.

Many of Florida’s water resources are particularly susceptible to pollution because of the state’s unique geology and climate.

Floridians obtain most of their drinking water from ground water via wells. Ground water supplies often lie near the surface and may be covered by nothing but sandy soil. Surface waters in Florida are very sensitive to even small additions of pollution, which have caused widespread ecosystem changes in our sensitive estuaries, lakes, rivers, and the Everglades.

In order to prevent potential leaching and runoff; users of fertilizers and pesticides need to consider weather conditions, proper application rates of products and calibration of equipment, soil properties, the distance to the water table, the slope of the land, and the distance to surface waters and storm drains; all of this, in addition to plant nutrition, disease, and pest factors.

Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth many dollars of cure.

Importance of Maintaining Healthy Landscapes and Turf Well-planned, healthy landscapes designed with Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM practices usually include trees, ornamentals, and a lawn of turfgrass or other groundcover. Native and well-adapted, noninvasive ornamentals contribute beauty and balance to a property, provide shade and wildlife habitat, and help to control erosion by diminishing the force of rainfall. Both the lawn and other landscape plantings reduce noise and glare, and modify temperatures.

A healthy and vigorous turf with good plant density provides many benefits. Healthy grass is viewed as an aesthetic asset, and a growing body of evidence points to the positive health and environmental contributions made by lawns and other turf areas. Turfgrass plays a significant role in reducing water runoff in urban and suburban environments that have significant areas of impervious surfaces such as parking lots, sidewalks, and driveways. Dense turf reduces the velocity of runoff and allows greater infiltration into both the thatch and root zone, where microbes can begin breaking down the water contaminants. The turfgrass root zone is a unique soil system. A healthy root zone does the following:

• Improves soil structure and reduces soil compaction, allowing greater infiltration of rain or irrigation water;

• Improves soil processes that facilitate the biodegradation (breakdown) of various types of organic pollutants, air contaminants, and pesticides used in lawn care;

• Encourages soil-building processes through the decomposition of organic matter and formation of humus, and contributes to easier lawn care with fewer weeds and insects and less disease.

Cultural Practices for Healthy Landscapes Plant selection and location are the most important factors in planning a lawn and landscape. After weather, cultural practices are the biggest factors in determining how well an agronomic or horticultural program performs. The amount of pesticides, fertilizers, and water required often directly correlate with cultural practices and how well they are carried out.

Landscape professionals have a responsibility to supply their customers with educational material on their role in keeping turf and other landscape plants healthy. This includes (as appropriate) information on irrigation, mowing, plant selection, aeration, and traffic control. Few landscaping and lawn care companies have total control over all aspects of the properties they maintain. It is not uncommon for mowing, fertilization, pest management, and irrigation maintenance to be performed by two or more companies, or the homeowner may do one or more jobs themselves. It is of the utmost importance to educate customers about wise cultural practices so they can see that they are performed properly.

Figure 2. Grassy stormwater retention areas can add to a lawn and protect our environment.

7 Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM

Cultural practices include irrigation, fertilization, mowing and pruning, aeration and dethatching. When each of these is performed properly, the need for pesticides is reduced because plants and turfgrasses are healthier and more resistant to pest problems.

The concept of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) emphasizes proper cultural practices along with selecting plant species, varieties and cultivars that are less susceptible to insects, nematodes, and diseases, and best adapted to the environmental conditions of the site and geographic part of the state.

Mowing height has a tremendous impact on the severity of weed, insect, and disease pests. In general, lowering the height increases weed, insect, and disease pressure on turfgrasses by causing turf stress. There are exceptions: dwarf varieties, centipedegrass and improved bermudagrasses have lower mowing heights than the standard often used for lawn and commercial turfgrasses. Still, even these lower-growing varieties will suffer stress if mowed too short.

Pruning is an important task in maintaining a landscape.

Through the selective removal of shoots and branches, pruning a plant can improve its health, control its growth, and enhance its fruiting, flowering, or appearance. Improper pruning, on the other hand, may weaken a plant, open it to invasion by disease or insect pests, or even lead to premature death of the plant.

Incorrect disposal of material may lead to the spreading of diseases or pests, or of the spreading of invasive species.

Time fertilizer applications to maximize plant use and minimize adverse environmental impacts. Plants use the most nitrogen during periods of high growth, and less when dormant.

However, it is important to avoid fertilizer applications if heavy rain is expected before the nutrients are immobilized. In theory, frequent, very light applications or “spoon feedings” of turf and landscapes are ideal to avoid leaching a large amount at one time due to a heavy rain event, but this is difficult to achieve safely without special management, such as for golf course greens.

Slow release fertilizers attempt to match this ideal profile.

Both quick- and slow-release fertilizers have a place in a sound management program.

Fertilization of plants can result in additional growth and production of leaves, stems, branches and roots. However, additional growth can result in more maintenance and yard trimming, so it is important to determine if heavy growth is the desired result. Fertilization is usually desirable when trying to establish newly installed landscape plants. In addition, adding fertilizer can help plants get off to a quick start so they fill the planted area.

Inadequate nutrition results in thin, weak plants that may be more susceptible to insects, weeds, and diseases. In addition, weakened plants do not hold the soil as well as healthy dense stands and can lead to soil erosion and water pollution.

Certain diseases, such as rust and dollar spot, can occur in turf maintained under low-nutrient conditions. Under-fertilized landscape plants may require a higher than normal rate of nitrogen or other nutrients in order to return to a healthy condition.

Over-fertilization can also enhance plant susceptibility to pests and diseases. Several pesticide applications may be required to alleviate problems that would not have been as prevalent under a proper nutrition program.

Remember that plants don’t waste water, people do. In a typical urban environment where soils and habitat have been modified, supplemental irrigation is necessary for the survival of many turf and ornamental plants during periods of severe moisture deficiency. However, overwatering may increase insect, weed, and disease pressures. For example, excessive moisture encourages the development of dollarweed and fungal pathogens. Conversely, some weeds such as spurge and Florida pusley thrive under dry conditions and can outcompete turfgrass suffering from drought stress. A balance is necessary to keep the landscape strong and healthy.

The average volume of rainfall in Florida ranges from 40 inches annually in Key West to about 53 inches in the central and northern peninsula and over 60 inches in the Panhandle

Figure 3. Poor fertilization technique wastes fertilizer, causes unsightly stains, and pollutes our waterbodies.

8Florida-Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries west of Tallahassee and along the southeast coast below Lake Okeechobee. In parts of the central and southern peninsula, more than half of Florida’s total annual rainfall is concentrated between June and September. During the winter and spring, or during severe drought years, the lack of rainfall may seriously compromise plant health. Landscape plants, including turfgrass, that are growing in soils with a limited capacity to retain moisture can benefit from supplemental irrigation during periods of low rainfall. Even during the rainy season, evapotranspiration (water loss from plants and soil) occurs between showers and may necessitate supplemental watering while plants are becoming established.

Determining and controlling the rate, amount, and timing of irrigation can minimize soil erosion, runoff, and fertilizer and pesticide movement. The irrigation system should be designed to have an application rate that is less than the infiltration capacity of the soil so that no surface pooling occurs and water percolates with maximum efficiency. Rain sensors or soil moisture sensors eliminate irrigation when nature has supplied sufficient water. A correctly installed and operating rain sensor, which is required by law on all systems installed after 1991, can save up to 30% or more over a timer-only system. If you notice a defective rain sensor while performing other work on a property, try to notify the owner so they can get it repaired.

The use of pesticides for controlling pests remains an important part of landscape plant management in Florida. The key to reducing pesticide use is to combine genetic, cultural, and biological management practices into an IPM program that focuses on the prevention of pest problems. When suppression is necessary, it is easier to suppress a pest when conditions exist that do not favor its development. For example, diseases can be hard to manage during periods of heavy rains but if over-watering is promoting disease, cutting back irrigation will help suppress fungus much more effectively than fungicide applications alone.

BMPs to protect water quality can be affordable and easily implemented, and are effective in reducing the off-site transport of sediment, nutrients, and pesticides. Select pesticides that are the least toxic, least water soluble, least volatile, and most effective. The best defense against the movement of pesticides and fertilizer nutrients off-site or through the soil is a thick, vigorously growing stand of turf or other landscape plants.

Pesticides must be correctly applied. Spray when conditions for drift are minimal, avoid application when heavy rain is expected, and irrigate with appropriate volumes of water per label instructions. Granular applications should be targeted away from impervious surfaces and bodies of water. The landscape manager should check the proper calibration of equipment before every pesticide application.

Always follow the label directions for disposing of pesticide containers.

Employee Training The effectiveness of any program is only as good as the understanding of the personnel responsible for final application.

BMPs are no exception. For BMPs to be effective, the technicians in the field must understand their role in protecting our water resources. This understanding can only come from the development and implementation of employee-training programs.

Employees should be given pertinent information relating to their job duties, especially job safety. The Green Industry is very diverse. Companies range in size from one or two individuals to very large corporations. Firms of any size may choose to avail themselves of horticultural and practical training available through professional associations, governments, or the county Cooperative Extension Service.

In addition to the BMPs, it is recommended that managers, salespeople, and supervisors take advantage of Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM (FFL) training events where they are provided by their local IFAS Extension office. While consistent with the Green Industry BMPs, Florida Yards and Neighborhoods (FYN) training is geared to homeowners. While FYN is the “homeowner” BMP guide and applies to maintenance of all types of yards found in Florida, it also addresses design of diverse landscapes that minimize use of irrigation, supplemental fertilizers, and corrective pest control. FYN classes also focus considerable attention on specific plant selection, placement, and care. This information is tailored to local conditions and soils, topics beyond the scope of this manual. There is a growing demand for people to install and service these yards properly, and this may provide an opportunity to expand your client base. The Florida-Friendly Communities Program (FFC) works to educate builders, developers, landscape architects and other professionals on the FFL principles and addresses additional concepts such as low impact development.

If you are doing planting or irrigation work, or any other digging, find out where utility lines are buried before you dig in order to protect yourself and your crew from injury and prevent damage to underground utility lines. Train your employees that a call to 811 starts the process of getting underground utility lines marked for free. Calling 811 in Florida routes you to Sunshine State One Call. Utility companies then send a professional locator to the location to mark underground lines within two full business days. Once the lines are marked, you will know the approximate location of the utility lines and can dig more safely. However, One Call member utilities typically locate only those underground facilities they own. Customer wiring and piping within the lot are not marked by One Call.

Employees whose job duties include activities related to BMPs should be properly trained to perform those activities before going in the field. Applicable personnel at all levels of

9 Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM responsibility should receive refresher training annually on the general components and goals of the BMPs, job safety, and the specific BMPs that apply to their jobs.

Documenting an employee’s participation is an integral part of a successful training program. Employee training should be documented in an employee training log. This documentation provides the business with a tool to ensure the effective delivery of BMPs. It not only allows the company to track an employee’s education and competence, but also provides a record in case of accident to show that the company provided the employee with the proper training to do his or her job. Records should have the name and signature of the employee, the provider or trainer, subject, date, and hours (time in/time out).

In 2009, the Florida Legislature enacted s.403.9335-9338, and s.482.1562 Florida Statutes, providing for fertilizer ordinances and requiring training and certification for commercial fertilizer applicators by 2014. Many local governments have ordinances that also regulate institutional and non-commercial fertilizer applicators and landscape workers. Many of these ordinances require education in these BMPs in order to obtain an occupational license or to provide services to the public.

Maintaining training records shows that your business meets these requirements.

Remember . . .

• Train employees about BMPs and job safety.

• Retrain annually and when changes are made.

• Train employees to document and retain records of activities.

Finally, consider the real nature of your business. It is probably not the sale of pesticides, fertilizers, or gasoline. It is more likely that your real business is maintaining your customers’ yards at a level that pleases them, at the lowest expense to you. Do not spend money applying materials that are not needed, or that are wasted by poor application practices or improper equipment calibration. Do not waste materials and time fighting the symptoms of problems you have no control over. Collaborate with other trades that have expertise you do not provide, such as an irrigation contractor. Then, if the irrigation system is causing fungal problems and dry spots, you can provide the customer with repairs; fix the real cause of the trouble; and save money on fungicide, insecticide, fertilizer and labor. Using Best Management Practices minimizes both the environmental and financial costs of maintaining a healthy and attractive landscape.

10Florida-Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries

11 Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM

12Florida-Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries

Chapter 2:

Best Management Practices for Design and Installation of Landscapes

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Bare soils and slopes without proper plant cover are highly susceptible to erosion. Sediment resulting from erosion is the leading cause of waterbody impairment and pollution. Sediment destroys fish-spawning beds, reduces useful storage volumes in reservoirs, and increases filtration costs for municipal water supplies. Pesticides and nutrients such as nitrogen and phos-phorus can bind with sediments and be moved by running water. A healthy stand of turf and/or other landscape plants can help to control erosion and reduce runoff, but must be properly established and maintained to protect water quality.

It is important to design the landscape before installing the irri-gation system. This allows the irrigation system to be designed to meet the needs of the plants instead of the other way around.

In many communities, construction and design documents and permits require the signature and seal of a design professional. To protect the public, landscape architects and professional engineers are licensed by the state. Contact your local authorities if you are not sure what is required. For more information on landscape architecture, see http://www.

myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/landscape-architecture/ or to learn more about engineering services go to http://www.fbpe.org/.

Site Evaluation and Landscape Design The long-term value of a landscape depends on how well it performs for its particular objectives. Performance is often directly related to matching a site’s characteristics and a client’s desires with plant requirements. Therefore, the first step in selecting plants for a landscape is to conduct a site evaluation, which may consist of studying planting site characteristics such as the amount of sun or shade, salt spray exposure, soil type, pH, soil compaction, slope and water drainage. These characteristics will most likely differ between areas on the same property. For example, the area on one side of a structure may have significantly different light conditions than an area on the other side. Construction activities may have produced severe compaction, and non-native soils may have been used as fill in some areas. Such soils may need aerification or amendment to be suitable for planting. The second step is to select plants with attributes that match the characteristics of the planting site. The design professional should always provide the owner with a record drawing identifying each plant or bed and the recommended irrigation requirements.

For more information, see IFAS Circular 536, Basic Principles of Landscape Design, at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG086.

Florida-Friendly Landscape Design Standards In 2004, the Florida legislature created section 373.228 Florida Statutes, directing the Department of Environ-mental Protection, the Water Management Districts, and several stakeholder groups to devise standards for Landscape Irrigation and Florida-Friendly landscape design. These standards were adopted in December 2006. Local governments must use these standards when adopting local ordinances after that date.

Florida law defines the nine principles of Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM to include planting the right plant in the right place, efficient watering, appropriate fertilization, mulching, attraction of wildlife, responsible management of yard pests, recycling yard waste, reduction of stormwater runoff, and waterfront protection. Additional components of a Florida- Friendly landscape include planning and design, soil analysis, the use of solid waste compost, practical use of turf, and proper maintenance.

This BMP manual for professionals, the Florida Yards and Neighborhoods (FYN) program for homeowners and the

Florida Statutes 125.568(3), 166.048(3), 373.185(3) and 720.3075(4) provide that a deed restriction or covenant or local government ordinance, may not prohibit, or be enforced to prohibit, any property owner from implementing Florida-Friendly LandscapingTM on his or her land.

These landscape and irrigation design Standards shall be used by local governments when developing landscape irrigation and Florida-Friendly landscaping ordinances, pursuant to section 373.228, F.S.

I. Florida-Friendly Landscape Design Standards

A. Low impact site design practices, such as preserving existing native trees and vegetation, shall be used if feasible. Where established natural vegetation is incorporated into the landscape design, irrigation of those areas shall not be required.

B. The plant palette and irrigation system shall be appropriate for site conditions, taking into account that, in some cases, soil improvement can enhance water use efficiency.

C. Plants shall be grouped together by irrigation demand.

D. The percentage of landscaped area in irrigated high water use hydrozones should be minimized. Local government ordinances shall address the percentage of irrigated landscaped area that may be included in high water use hydrozones. These high water use limits should not apply to land-scaped areas requiring large amounts of turf for their primary functions, e.g., ballfields and playgrounds.

http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/landscape-architecture/ http://www.myfloridalicense.com/DBPR/landscape-architecture/ http://www.fbpe.org/ http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/MG086

14Florida-Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries

Florida-Friendly Communities (FFC) program for builders, developers, landscape design professionals and decision makers are based on these nine principles, differing only in focusing on the needs of their target audience. All are part of the Florida- Friendly LandscapingTM program, a partnership between the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the UF/ IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department and Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the five water management districts.

Plant Selection Because many of the plants used in Florida vary widely in their adaptation, consideration should be given to choosing grasses and other plants that are suited to their particular environment.

Selecting a Turfgrass for a Florida Lawn Selecting the correct grass is critical to maintaining a lawn successfully. Table 1 can help you choose the grass that is best suited to a particular customer, location, and use.

To select the right grass, the following questions should be asked:

• What type of lawn is desired or expected and what level of maintenance can be provided? The level of maintenance required is closely related to cost and time, with high-maintenance turf costing the most and taking the most time to maintain. Homeowners should understand realistically what their options are and what each entails.

Table 1: Comparison of lawngrasses available for use in Florida Common lawngrass species used in Florida. Some of the species may vary by cultivars for characteristics listed.

Environment Bahiagrass Bermudagrass Centipedegrass Seashore Paspalum

St. Augustine-grass

Zoysiagrass

Area Adapted To Statewide Statewide

N. Florida and Panhandle (one cultivar adapted to South Florida)

Statewide Statewide Statewide

Mowing Height 3”-4” Cultivar

Dependent 1.5”-2.5” 0.5”-2”

Cultivar Dependent

Cultivar Dependent

Soil Acid, sandy Wide range Acid, infertile Wide range Wide range Wide range

Leaf Texture Coarse-medium Cultivar

Dependent Fine-medium

Medium Fine-medium Cultivar

Dependent Coarse-medium

Cultivar Dependent

Fine-medium

Salt Tolerance Poor Good Poor Excellent Good Good

Shade Tolerance Poor Poor Fair Poor Good Good

Wear Tolerance Poor Good- excellent Poor Good-excellent Poor Good-excellent

Drought Tolerance

Excellent Good Medium Good Fair Medium

Nematode Tolerance

Very good Poor Poor Good Good Good

Maintenance Level

Low Cultivar

Dependent Medium-High

Low High Medium Medium-High

Establishment Methods

Seed, sod Seed, sod, sprigs, plugs Seed, sod, sprigs, plugs Seed, sod, sprigs, plugs Sod, sprigs, plugs Seed, sod, sprigs, plugs

15 Florida-Friendly Landscaping TM

• What are the environmental conditions at the planting site? Most importantly, what are the soil type, pH, drainage, and other soil characteristics? Has it been compacted by construction activity? Does the site contain low fertility subsoils brought in for fill? Is the site irrigated? Can it be easily mowed?

Is it shaded or in full sun? Will it be shaded in a few years? What is the quality and the expected quantity of the water available for irrigation? What pests are prevalent in the area? Are pest-resistant cultivars available? Reclaimed water may contain high levels of chloride, leading to salt accumulation in the soil. When planning or renovating a landscape, check with the reclaimed water provider regarding chloride levels, and if necessary choose plants that are salt-tolerant.

Selecting Trees, Shrubs, and Ground Covers The plants selected should be suited to the characteristics of the site that were determined during an earlier site analysis. Good landscape design requires that plants serve particular functions.

They should reduce cooling and heating costs and improve the appearance or usefulness of the landscape. Plants should be selected and positioned to provide a transition between the structure and the landscape, a screen for privacy, shade for comfort, and wildlife habitat, or to direct traffic flow onto and within the property. Select plants that will not outgrow their allotted space. Even though smaller cultivars of landscape plants may take longer to reach the desirable size, they will not have to be pruned as frequently and are less likely to need replacing in a few years.

See The Florida-Friendly Landscapingtm Guide to Plant Selection and Landscape Design and https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/ for information on individual plants.

Preparing To Plant a Lawn Proper soil preparation before grass planting is critical to ensure the establishment of quality turf. Preparation determines how quickly the lawn becomes established and its long-term maintenance requirements. The general guidelines for preparing to plant a lawn are as follows:

• Call 811 before you dig (or 800-432-4770 or www.callsunshine.com)—before installing any and/or all plant material.

• Clean and rough grade—remove debris and level the area to make it suitable for mowing.

• Install irrigation—if you are including an irrigation system, install it prior to planting.

• Soil analysis—determine soil pH and phosphorus and potassium concentrations. Contact your county Cooperative Extension Service for information on how to do this.

• Soil amendments—add these prior to planting if you need to improve the soil’s physical and chemical properties.

• Deep tillage—this loosens compacted soil and improves the establishment of turf. Tilling sand is unnecessary.

• Weed control—use a nonselective herbicide such as glyphosate to aid in weed control before planting. Several applications may be necessary.

• Final grading—a final leveling makes mowing easier and safer.

For more information, see Preparing To Plant a Florida Lawn, IFAS Publication ENH-02, at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LH012.

Landscape Plant Installation Before digging the hole, 1) remove all soil from above the topmost root, and 2) measure the distance between the topmost root and the bottom of the root ball. Dig the hole about 10 percent shallower than this depth and as wide as possible (at least one and a half times the width of the ball and even wider in compacted soils). The root ball should be positioned in the hole shallowly enough so that the finished grade of the backfill soil and landscape soil is lower than the top of the root ball. In other words, leave the upper portion of the sides of the root ball exposed to the air. Then apply mulch so that it covers the sides of the root ball. Be sure that when you are finished planting, there is NO SOIL, and little or no mulch, over the top of the root ball. Soil (as well as thick mulch layers more than 2 or 3 inches deep) over the root ball can prevent water and air from entering the root ball.

Figure 4. Narrow strips are difficult to maintain.

http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/index.html http://www.callsunshine.com http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/LH012

16Florida-Friendly Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources by the Green Industries

When finished planting, you should be able to see the topmost root in the root ball originating from the trunk at the soil surface. In other words, the trunk flare (root flare) should be visible. Soil should be packed firmly between the root ball and existing soil to eliminate air pockets where roots can dry out.

Air pockets can be removed when planting large specimens by inserting a running hose between the root ball-soil interface several times until all the soil settles around the root ball.

Care During Plant Establishment Even the healthiest landscape plants installed in the most ideal circumstances may need a substantial amount of time, care, and proper irrigation to become established. During the establishment period, the roots are expanding out into the landscape soil, and the shoots and trunk grow more slowly than they did before transplanting. In most instances, established, drought-tolerant landscape plants have a root system substantial enough to keep them alive with little or no supplemental irrigation. Establishment occurs more rapidly when irrigation is supplied in the correct quantity and frequency.

In addition to requiring special attention to irrigation, during their establishment period trees benefit from mulching and may require staking or guying. Pruning and fertilizing may also benefit landscape plants while they are becoming established.

For more information, see the following:

IFAS Publication ENH 979, Homeowner Best Management Practices for the Home Lawn, at https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep236.

IFAS Publication ENH 1130 Establishing Shrubs in Florida Landscapes, at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep391

IFAS tree pruning website, Pruning Shade Trees in Landscapes, at https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/woody/pruning.shtml.

Environmental Stresses on Lawns Florida lawn grasses are subjected to many environmental stresses as a result of prolonged exposure to shade, drought, nutrient deficiency, the effects of vehicle and foot traffic, salinity, and occasional cold temperatures. Biotic stresses result from living organisms such as insects, diseases, or nematodes.

Environmental stresses can be managed in two ways: 1) choosing the most stress-tolerant species or cultivar for a particular area, and 2) using proper cultural and management practices to alleviate the effects of the stress. Practices that reduce environmental stresses include the following:

• Moderating nitrogen fertility. Nitrogen encourages the plant to form new tissue and grow. When nitrogen is applied in excess, more energy reserves are used to form new tissue than can be replaced by photosynthesis, and the grass becomes more vulnerable to stresses. Less reserves are then available for recovery from, or avoidance of other problems.

• Mowing at proper heights. Mowing below recommended heights removes a large portion of the shoot tissue available for photosynthesis. This leaves the grass less able to support itself or recover from injury.

• Irrigating when the grass needs water. Over irrigating leads to the failure of many lawns by increasing fungal problems and limiting the root system to the top few inches of soil.

Many environmental stresses lead to increased disease or insect problems, which are often treated chemically without changing the cultural practices that initially caused the problem.

Chemical treatment in these cases will not take care of the problem until the cultural factors are handled correctly.

Shade Considerations for Turf Most landscapes include shaded areas, with shade coming from either trees or buildings. This shade can drastically affect turfgrass growth, depending on the degree and duration of shade. In many landscape settings, grass receives a minimum amount of light for enough of the day to maintain adequate growth, even if an area is shaded for other portions of the day.

In some situations, however, a grassed area may be shaded for most or all of the day, making it difficult for the grass to obtain either an adequate intensity or duration of light for growth.

Under shaded conditions, turfgrasses have elongated leaf blades and stems as they attempt to obtain sunlight by outgrowing their neighbors. This reduces their overall health and vigor.

Coverage is also reduced, and the bare ground that results is conducive to weed growth. It is generally not advisable to grow turfgrass in heavy shade. Other ground covers or mulch should be used in these sites. For areas receiving moderate amounts of shade, however, certain species and cultivars are able to maintain suitable growth. Specific management practices also encourage better turfgrass health under shaded conditions.

Some species are particularly well suited for use in shaded areas.

Within these species, certain cultivars sometimes maintain considerable advantages when grown in a shaded environment.

These species…